Saturday, March 21, 2009

Turcan Connell looks towards changes in Scots legal services market

Turcan Connell, that well known to many Edinburgh law firm which serves the interests of big landowners, and doesn’t do a terribly good job of clients wills, as we reported HERE & HERE , is preparing for a changed legal services market .. so they say.

Do some more speaking up against Drumsheugh Gardens, lads .. and then we will see some real changes for the better …. (In other words, get some bottle – Ed)

LAW firm Turcan Connell yesterday said it was preparing for a "multi-national and multi- disciplinary future" with a string of new appointments.

Turcan Connell – which has its headquarters in Edinburgh and offices in London and Guernsey – has long been an advocate of alternative business structures, which would reform the law to allow non-lawyers to own legal firms for the first time.

As well as being a law firm, Turcan Connell provides financial and investment advice.

Haig Bathgate was yesterday promoted to the new role of investment director (principal), while Bob Hair became financial planning director (principal).

The firm said: "Haig and Bob's promotions mean that both will now be fully involved with, and work alongside, the partnership of Turcan Connell as professionals who are not lawyers, with a view to becoming full partners."

Douglas Connell, joint senior partner, said: "We strongly believe that it should be possible for client facing non-lawyers to be partners in Turcan Connell and we are actively supporting the progress now being made towards the alternative business structure that will allow this."

Turcan Connell – which has 18 partners and about 280 staff – was formed in 1997 as a spin out from the private client practice of Dundas & Wilson